(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information input/output system for receiving various services from a user terminal through a communication network.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a mobile phone or a PHS (Personal Handy phone System) is not only used as a telephone terminal but increasingly used for transmission/reception of emails or connection to the internet. Further, a communication function is now normally attached to an electronic databook or a notebook computer.
This kind of mobile communication device is often provided with a small liquid crystal display. However, since a display area of a screen is narrow, an amount of information which can be displayed in one screen is limited, and the screen must be frequently scrolled up and down or changed over, which is inferior in operationality.
It is, therefore, general to print out desired information by a printer or transfer the information to a computer so that it is confirmed on a large screen.
In addition, although an inexpensive color ink jet printer has become recently widespread, its very low print speed makes it difficult to print out a large amount of document in color. However, a color copier or a color laser printer is still very expensive, it can not be readily purchased. Thus, it is general for a user to go to a service station equipped with a color copier and the like and ask for color copy.
However, since a number of service stations equipped with a color copier and the like is still restricted and prices or functions for that service are diverse, it is often the case that the color copy and the like can not be carried out under conditions desired by a user. In particular, since a user can not be aware of what kind of equipment each service station has, the user often can not utilize the service even though he/she wants that service. Additionally, the service station often can not effectively exploit the equipment provided to that station itself.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information input/output system capable of assuredly guiding a user to an optimum service station offering a service desired by the user.
To achieve this aim, the present invention provides an information input/output system for transmitting/receiving information through a communication network between at least one user terminal, at least one service station offering various services, and at least one service center managing each service station,
the service station comprising:
candidate selecting means for selecting candidates for the service station capable of offering a service in accordance with the content of a request from the user terminal:
request transmitting means for transmitting a request from the user terminal to the service station selected from the selected candidates for the service station by the user terminal;
positional information transmitting means for transmitting to the user terminal information concerning a position of the service station selected by the user terminal;
route searching means for searching out a route from a current position of the user terminal or a designated position to the service station selected by the user terminal to determine an optimum route; and
display/output confirming means for confirming by the user terminal whether at least one of display and output of map information in the vicinity of the optimum route is executed,
the user terminal comprising:
service requesting means for requesting a service to the service center;
station selecting means for selecting any from the candidates for the service station transmitted from the service station;
selection result transmitting means for transmitting to the service center information specifying the selected service station; and
display/output determining means for determining whether at least one of display and output of map information in the vicinity of the optimum route is executed.
According to the present invention, since the optimum route to the service station selected by the user terminal is displayed on the display of the user terminal in order to guide the user to this service station, the user can get to the optimum service station offering a service requested by the user in a short period of time.